Preview: CNBC Meets…The Duke of York

CNBC presenter Tania Bryer recently got a rare chance to interview the Duke of York for the latest episode in the CNBC Meets series. The 30-minute interview with Prince Andrew will premiere this evening at 10pm.

During the interview at Buckingham Palace, viewers will be able to witness the Duke speaking openly about his marriage to Sarah Ferguson and his relationship with his daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie. Prince Andrew and Sarah married in 1986, and then separated in 1992. Their divorce was finalised four years later.

Yet, despite their separation, they have remained close friends and brought up their two daughters together. In the interview with Tania Bryer, the Duke said: “It’s just part of life’s rich tapestry – if you’ve been married to somebody I just see it as illogical not to be a friend at the end of the day, regardless of what your set of circumstances are.”

When speaking about upbringing of his children, Andrew said that his ex-wife is “a fantastic mother”, and that he is incredibly proud of his daughters, stating: “I think they’re making a pretty good fist of it”, in relation to their attitude towards Royal life.

The Duke continued by saying: “The number of people who come up and say that ‘you’ve got two fantastic children’, now that is down to the very lucky circumstances of having a fantastic mother, but also having that connectivity and family life I believe.”

During the interview, Tania Bryer also touches upon aspects of Andrew’s upbringing and discusses his life in the Royal Navy, which he served in for 22 years. As reported earlier this week on Royal Central, the Duke revealed in the CNBC interview the fears that he felt when serving in the Falklands in 1982, especially when he was shot at whilst co-piloting a helicopter during a mission.

CNBC Meets…The Duke of York will air tonight at 10pm UK time on CNBC World, Sky (channel 505), Virgin (613) and Freesat (210). The interview will also be broadcast on CNBC networks in the US and Asia Pacific.